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Polastri Knocks Out Xiong With First‑Round Head Kick

Both fighters missed weight, making the viral knockout ineligible for a UFC Performance bonus.

Overview

  • Julia Polastri finished Xiong Jingnan with a head kick in the first round of the UFC Shanghai prelims on Saturday.
  • Both fighters came in overweight before the bout, which disqualified Polastri from earning a UFC Performance bonus and typically triggers purse fines.
  • Xiong, who won the inaugural ONE Championship strawweight title in 2018, is now 0-2 in the UFC and faces growing pressure over her roster status after back-to-back Octagon losses.
  • The knockout marked the first time Xiong had been finished by strikes in her career and the clip was widely circulated by MMA outlets and UFC broadcast accounts.
  • The result gives Polastri a high-profile highlight and raises fresh questions about weight management and how quickly the UFC judges recently signed international champions.